What’s it all about hummingbirds which makes them so darned irresistible? Can it be the way their wings beat 75 times per second, which makes them look as they’re barely moving? Can it be their petite physique, with their own bodies weighing just as much as a penny? No matter the reason, I have longed to entice these precious creatures to my garden for years.
I attempted various methods, including hanging those plastic crimson hummingbird feeders. Between forgetting to change the water (which is dangerous to the birds) and the claws’ inherent unattractiveness, I decided they weren’t for me. I also planted several native flowers, which have drawn many other pollinators, but the hummingbird remained elusive. What was missing?
Waterwise Landscapes Incorporated
Possibly the purple, blue and white colors of my perennial beds were to blame for your dearth of hummingbirds in my garden. While I knew that hummingbirds were most attracted to the color red, I was obstinate and refused to attract the colour in my garden scheme.
Kim Gamel
All that changed earlier this year when I spied this unusual reddish, almost alien-looking plant. Justicia brandegeana, aka fish plant (every blossom resembles a shrimp), piqued my curiosity, and I immediately planted it in a kettle near my door. A couple of weeks afterwards, as I sat quietly on my patio, a hummingbird swooped by me and moved directly to the new plant. It has returned several times every day since, and that I continue to be mesmerized by its beauty.
In case you are like me and need hummingbirds to frequent your doorstep or window, consider planting one of the following flowers in a container near. The colors work great with fall plantings. The majority of them are considered annuals, but assess the zone to see if they’re hardy locally. Find your zone here
Shrimp Plant
(Justicia brandegeana)
USDA zones: 9 to 11
Water necessity: moderate to moist, well-drained soil
Light requirement: Can tolerate full sun but prefers partial shade with protection from late-afternoon sunlight
Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall and broad
Waterwise Landscapes Incorporated
Another terrific hummingbird plant is California fuchsia. Its tubular-shaped blossoms are perfect for nectar gathering.
California Fuchsia
(Zauschneria californica)
USDA zones: 6 to 9
Water necessity : Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Entire sun
Mature dimensions: 3 feet to 5 feet tall and broad
Kim Gamel
The dwarf variety of flowering tobacco (the bigger dark pink blossoms to the best in this photo) works nicely in containers. It comes in several colors, but this dark pink will most attract hummingbirds.
Flowering Tobacco, Starmaker Series
Nicotiana
USDA zones: 10 into 11
Water necessity : Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light condition: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 10 to 12 inches tall and broad
Kim Gamel
Pineapple sage is just one of several plants at the Salvia household that attract hummingbirds. It’s also regarded as a culinary herb which, as its name suggests, gives a faint pineapple scent when crushed. The number seen here,’Golden Apple’, features yellow-green leaves with bright red tubular flowers.
Pineapple Sage
(Salvia elegans)
USDA zones: 8 to 10
Water necessity : Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light condition: Entire sun
Tolerance: Deer
Mature dimension: 2 to 3 feet tall and broad
Kim Gamel
Mexican bush sage is a late-blooming yearly that looks fantastic in fall agreements. It is a tall one, so place it toward the back of your planters.
Mexican Bush Sage
(Salvia leucantha)
USDA zones: 8 to 10
Water necessity : Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light condition: Entire sun
Tolerance: Deer
Mature dimension: 2 to 3 feet tall and broad
Kim Gamel
Cigar plant gets its common name from its orange-red flowers, which resemble the burning tip of a cigar. It’s a bushy plant that can reach around 3 feet wide.
Cigar Plant
(Cuphea)
USDA zones: 9 to 12
Water necessity : Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Entire sun
Mature size: 1 1/2 into 2 1/2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Kim Gamel
In case you’ve got a supportive structure, like a trellis, then you may want to provide cypress vine a try. It is a twining tropical vine in the morning glory family. The scarlet tubular flowers are certain to attract a hummingbird or 2. The deeply cut leaves give it a wonderful ferny appearance.
Cypress Vine
(Ipomoea quamoclit)
USDA zones: 11 into 12
Water necessity : Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light condition: Entire sun
Tolerance: Deer
Mature dimension: 6 to 10 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet broad
Kim Gamel
If your place is shadier, a shade-tolerant blossom to consider is fuchsia. Due to its drooping habit, it is perfect at a hanging basket.
Fuchsia
(Fuchsia)
USDA zones: 9 to 12
Water necessity : moderate to moist, well-drained soils
Light condition: Partial to full color
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet tall and broad
Inform us: How have you been able to entice hummingbirds?
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